Raised displays provide a compelling method of representing images that are textured or relieved in nature. Generally, such systems employ an array of closely spaced pins, each representing an image element. These pins can be raised to a desired height to form a textured image. The resolution of the display is a function of the density of the pins and the number of positions into which they can be raised. It will be appreciated that the space consumed by an assembly for moving the pins within the device can be a limiting factor on the density of the pins.
In general, raised displays require a substantial amount of time to display an image. In a typical raised display, respective raising mechanisms for each pin, such as a plurality of solenoids, are actuated individually to provide an image. Even a small display can require thousands of pins, making plotting a raised image in this fashion a time-consuming process. A larger, table-sized display can require plotting millions of pins. Individually actuating raising mechanisms for each pin in such a display would be sufficiently time-consuming as to be impractical for most applications.